Adjustable shot roll



April 15, 1969 A. MOORE ADJUSTABLE SHOT ROLL Filed May 6, 1966 United States Patent Olce 3,438,100 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 3,438,100 ADJUSTABLE SHOT ROLL Lawrence A. Moore, King of Prussia, Pa., assgnor to Beloit Eastern Corporation, Downingtown, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 6, 1966, Ser. No. 548,137

Int. Cl. D061: 3/06 U.S. Cl. 26-63 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable roll assembly including a hollow axiallyflexible shot-filled tube end-mounted on a pair of spaced fixed supports. The mounting members each include a first part secured to its support on its fixed axis and a second part pivotally connected to the first part and to the roll for articulation in a single plane.

This invention relates generally to an adjustable shot roll and more particularly to a shot roll assembly wherein the shape of the shot roll may be adjusted by means of a change in the tension on opposite ends of the roll. The invention has particular application in winders, windups, reels or any application wherein sheet wrinkling or inter- Weaving of slit edges is detrimental to the finished product.

Shot rolls are employed in various applications wherein it is desired to present a desired shape to a material passing thereover. lIn order to provide some adjustment of this shape of the shot roll, such rolls are normally formed of a flexible material or of a thin Walled tube which may be provided with a material therein which is fluid in character. Such tubes are normally mounted between a pair of xed supports and the arcuate shape thereof is determined by the amount of material inserted into the hollow tube. This material should exhibit some uid characteristics and is preferably a quantity of shot or a liquid. For instance, No. buckshot in an amount of l() pounds may be inserted into the hollow tube to provide a certain and prescribed arcuate shape thereto.

In such shot rolls, however, the shape or bow of the roll is limited to the natural deflection of the roll plus the amount of shot inserted into the roll. Adjustment of the roll bow is made by inserting into the roll or removing from the roll a predetermined amount of shot or other uid material therein. Therefore, adjustment of the shot roll cannot be made unless the machine in which it is employed is shut down, thus reducingr production. Tabulations to determine the natural roll deflection with and without the shot are required to suitably size the roll and the amount of shot required to meet the design needs of the bow for the proper spreading action provided by the roll. Therefore, a great number of various shot rolls may be required in a particular installation for providing the spreading required in various applications.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a shot roll assembly wherein the shape of the shot roll is not limited to the natural deflection of the roll due to its own weight and the weight of the shot inserted therein.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shot roll assembly wherein the shape of the shot roll may be adjusted externally of the shot roll and While the machine is in operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shot roll assembly wherein the shape of the shot roll may be adjusted by changing the amount of material in the roll or by changing the tension on the ends of the roll.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a shot roll which can be initially filled with a material and subsequently adjusted during operation of the machine by means external to the shot roll.

A novel feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a shot roll constructed of a tube of suflicient elasticity, yet enough rigidity and wearing characteristics, such as a nylon plastic tube with or without Teflon coating, or a tube with sufficient wall thickness of steel, aluminum or a like material, that would be partially or fully lilled with shot, liquid or any granular substance, liuid in character, which would add weight to increase the deflection of the roll.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a shot roll constructed in a manner that driving the roll can be accomplished, such as the tube being of sucient length to support the sheet traveling thereacross and with end supporting members that would be machined to accept thrust bearings on each end. Therefore, a drive pulley can be securely fastened to one end of the roll.

Another novel feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a shot roll which may be mounted such that transverse or cross-machine adjustment can be obtained by securing one end thereof to a stationary support and the other end to an adjustable support.

A further novel feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a shot roll wherein the maximum amount of bow therein is obtained by the natural deflection produced by the weight of the tube plus the weight of the material inserted into the tube, and the minimum amount of bow would be determined by the amount of tension applied to the ends thereof.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully realized and understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE l is a front elevational view partially broken away and in section of a shot roll assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed and exploded view partially broken away and in section of one end of the shot roll assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a view in section of the shot roll illustrated in FIGURE l.

Like reference numerals throughout the various views of the drawing are intended to designate the same or similar structures.

With reference to the drawing in detail and in particular to FIGURE l, there is shown a shot roll assembly `constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and including a shot roll generally designated with the reference numeral 10. The shot roll 10 generally includes a roll of plastic material or a thin walled tube.

The roll 12 may be made of suitable plastic material such as nylon, which may be Teon coated and of sufiicient rigidity and wearing properties to serve as a roll. The roll 12 could also be a very thin walled tube of small diameter which would deflect under the weight of any material placed therein.

A pair of shafts 14 and 16 are mounted in and extend from opposite ends of the tube 12. A pair of bearings 18 and 20 are mounted on respective shafts 14 and 16 and are supported within bearing holders 22 and 24 respectively.

Each of the bearing holders 22 and 24 are pivotally mounted onto mounts 26 and 2S respectively, by means of pins 30 and 32 passing through each.

A pair of fixed supports 34 and 36, which form part of a machine, such as a Winder or the like, contain apertures 38 and 40 respectively, for receiving the mounts 26 and 28 respectively therein. The mount 28 is fixedly secured in the aperture 40, while the mount 26 is slidably mounted within the aperture 38. A key 42 is provided in the aperture 38 for restricting rotational movement of the mount 26 within the aperture 38. A hand wheel 44, having a threaded shaft 46 extending therefrom, serves to position the mount 26 within the aperture 38.

On the fixed end of the shot roll is provided a drive pulley 48 which may be connected by means of a belt to a suitable drive means for rotating the shot roll 10.

It can readily appreciated that rotation of the hand wheel 44 will cause a change in the tension applied to the ends of the roll 12 to alter the arcuate shape thereof. Therefore, if the hand wheel 44 is rotated to relieve some of the tension on the ends of the roll 12 and a material is inserted into the tube 12 in an amount to provide the maximum deflection in a particular application, a wide range of defiections can be obtained without changing the amount of material in the tube 12 by simply rotating the hand wheel 44 and applying tension to the ends of the tube 12. It should be noted that the deflection of the tube 12 is restricted to a vertical plane due to the pivotal mounting between the holders 22, 24 and the mounts 26, 28.

As shown in FIGURE 2, adjustment of the tension on the ends of the tube 12 is provided by rotation of the hand wheel 44. The mount 26 includes a threaded hole 50 in one end thereof which receives the threaded shaft 46 therein. The opposite end of the threaded shaft 46 passes through a bushing 52 and is secured to the hand wheel 44 for rotation therewith. The bushing 52 supports the hand wheel 44 at la fixed distance from one side of the support 34. The mount 26 includes a groove 54 therein which receives the key 42 for impeding rotational movement of the mount 26 within the aperture 38. However, the mount 26 is free to slide within the aperture 38 during rotation of the hand wheel 44 and the threaded shaft 46.

The shot roll 10 is more clearly illustrated in FIGURE 3 and generally includes the tube v12, the shafts 14 and 16, and the bearings 18 and 20. As shown in FIGURE 3, the shaft 14 includes an enlarged head portion S6 which extends into one end of the tube 12 and is secured thereto by means of screws 58 and 60. The head portion 56 includes 'an aperture 62 which extends into the interior portion of the tu'be 12 and is joined by an aperture 64 which extends to the surface of the head portion 56. Material for weighting the tube 12 is Vsupplied to the interior of the tube 12 through the aperture 62 and 64.

As previously mentioned, such material may be shot, such as No. 00 buckshots, which is somewhat fluid in character under dynamic conditions, or any other suitable fluid material for weighting the tube 12. Such material is indicated with the reference numeral 66. rIhe aperture 64 may be closed by any suitable means to maintain the material within the tube 12.

The shaft 14 includes a reduced portion `68 which receives the bearing 18 thereon and a collar 70 for maintaining the bearing 1S in a fixed position. The shaft 16 includes a head portion 72 which extends into the other end of the tube 12 and is secured thereto by means of screws 74 and 76. The drive pulley 48 is secured to the shaft 16 by means of a screw 78 and the shaft 16 includes a reduced portion 80 which receives the bearing 20 and a collar 82 thereon.

4 The principles of the invention explained in connection with the specific exemplifications thereon will suggest many other applications and modifications of the same.

I claim:

1. An adjustable shot roll `assembly comprising:

a hollow shot filled tube,

a pair of holders rotatably supporting opposite ends Of said tube and including:

a pair of shafts each secured to opposite ends of said tube and a pair of bearings disposed on respective ones of said shafts,

each of said bearings being supported in a respective holder,

a pair of fixed supports, and

means for pivotally mounting each of said holders in a respective one of said supports including means for changing the distance between said holders,

said mounting means including a pair of mounts each pivotally secured to a respective holder and limiting any pivotal displacement to a vertical plane,

one of said mounts being fixedly secured to a respective support and the other of said mounts being slidably supported in the other of said supports,

said changing means including a threaded member engaging one end of said other mount and rotatable to effect displacement thereof with respect to said other support, and means for rotating said threaded member.

2. An adjustable shot roll assembly comprising:

a hollow shot-filled tube,

a pair of holders rotatably supporting opposite ends of said tube,

a pair of parallel vertical spaced fixed supports, and means for pivotally mounting each of said holders in a respective one or said supports,

said mounting means including a pair of mounts extending horizontally from a respective support,

one of said mounts being fixed to a respective support and the ot er of said mounts being slidably mounted in the other of said supports,

each of said mounts pivotally supporting a respective one of said holders and supporting said tube in a substantially horizontal position, and means associated with the slidable mount for changing the distance between said holders.

3. An adjustable web spreading roll assembly comprising:

a fiexible, continuous roll .having a substantially uniform diameter along the length thereof,

a pair of spaced fixed supports, and means for supporting the ends of said roll on said fixed supports comprising:

a pair of elongated first members mounted on said supports in fixed parallel axial alignment with one another,

a pair of second members secured to the ends of said roll for relative rotation with said roll, and

means interconnecting said first and second members for precluding movement therebetween except for pivotal articulation of said second members only about a single horizontal axis and only in a single vertical plane.

4. An adjustable roll assembly as defined in `claim 3 including:

means mounting one of said first members fast to its fixed support and the other of said first members for adjustable axial displacement relative to its fixed support and to said one first member.

5. The adjustable roll assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said roll comprises a holow shot-filled tube.

6. The adjustable roll assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said roll comprises:

a hollow nylon tube.

5 6 7. The adjustable roll as dened in claim 5 and in- 2,901,093 8/ 1959 Harbottle. Cluding: 3,220,538 11/1965 Kelley 198--192 means for admlttmg shot lnto the hollow tube. FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited 890,337 11/ 1943 France.

3062360 11/1962 Afdt et al 19g-192 XR ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner. 3,075,633 1/1963 Prestl 198--192 XR 3,211,276 10/1965 Dilgard 198--192 U S CL X.R 2,712,681 7/1955 Warner 226-190 XR 10 2,781,124 2/1957 Tmuer. 226-190; 19g-192 

